Apple Not Releasing Anything ‘New’ In 2013 [Economist]

Like all days, Apple has been in the news today as well, though primarily because its shares have reached their lowest point since 2011 and that iPad mini shipments are expected to plunge by 30%. Now Haydn Shaughnessy of Forbes is reporting that the company won’t exactly been releasing anything ‘new’ this year. He believes that entirely ‘new’ revolutionary products such as Macbook Air, iPad and iPhone were back when they were first announced, can’t be expected from the company. Rumored revolutionary products such as the iTV and iWatch, according to him, won’t be released this year. He cites this as the reason why there are more iPhone 5S rumors these days as opposed to rumors about these devices.

Haydn writes that the technology needed for such products isn’t quite there yet, and even if it is, its bogged with legal conflicts. The iWatch needs OLED displays, without which it would be impractical, but Samsung is the only supplier that can match Apple’s demands. Apple has already begun shifting the component business it was giving Samsung, so it doesn’t make any sense for the company to get back in business with its Korean rival.

There’s no doubt that Apple wants the latest and greatest technology available for its products, the same goes for its much rumored television set. Haydn believes that Apple would want a 4K quality screen, based on OLED technology, and with LG as its preferred supplier a launch is impossible in 2013. That’s because LG itself missed its 2012 launch estimate because its production line is proving to be problematic, which is something that Apple can’t launch its revolutionary product on. Beside that Samsung and LG are in a battle over OLED technology, a battle which recently led to Samsung offices being raided.

That being said, there will obviously be new models of the iPads, probably multiple iPhones, a refresh of the entire Macbook line and a new MacPro as well. If all of this is indeed exactly the way it has been reported, then we’re in for an evolutionary Apple year instead of a revolutionary one.